macwhirter



Jan. 24, 1956 W. B. MacwHlRTER ADJUSTABLE CHAIR-DESK Filed Feb. 23, 1952 INVENTOR. WILLIAM 8. MAC WHIRTER BY warm" 5, mmmm FIG.

A. tyr s United States Patent ADJUSTABLE CHAIR-DESK William B. MacWhirter, Grand Rapids, Mich. Application February 23, 1952, Serial No. 273,013

Claims. (Cl. 155-124) This invention relates to a combination desk and chair and more particularly an article of this class especially adapted for use in classrooms.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and practical article of the class specified which is inexpensive but still capable of withstanding hard wear and of presenting a pleasing appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit of the kind pointed out in which adjustment of the desk,

seat, and seat back relatively to one another and to the floor on which the device is set may be easily effected and securely retained by simple means requiring a minimum of tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for accommodating the unit to unevenness or irregularities of the floor upon which it rests.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for tilting adjustment of the top of the desk, and means to permit articles such as books and papers to be safely placed on the desk top notwithstanding a sloping position thereof which means, when not in use, may be concealed within the box beneath the top.

One preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the combined desk and chair, the desk top being shown in its raised position; 1

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the desk portion alone, showing the desk top inclined to a convenient position for reading; 7

Figure 3 is a perspective detail of the connecting panel serving to link the desk top to the forward portion of the storage box;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectionalview of the rear face of the desk top taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the principal framework of the article comprises a base part 40, a desk support 20 and a chair pedestal 43, all preferably made of metal tubing of such diameters as to facilitate the several telescoping adjustments to be detailed hereinafter. Base part 40 includes two members 17--17, each having a horizontal fore-and-aft portion 45 and a transverse leg portion 46 which latter continues vertically to provide a socket 47 for the mating desk support legs 48. The fore-and-aft portions 4545 of the base are suitably united by Welding or straps, such as 28.

The desk base 21 is seated within, and suitably secured to, a rearwardly extending horizontal, U-shaped seat 51 forming part of the desksupport 20, the vertical terminations 4848 whereof are telescopically received in the vertical legs 47-47 of the base part 40. Vertical adjustment of the desk with respect to the floor may be effected by various means, for example, by collars and set screws 19-19.

The desk base 21 is shown as fabricated from a single 2,732,007 Patented Jan. 24, 1956 piece of metal suitably cut, formed and welded as to provide rounded corners for ease in cleaning and to avoid hazardous sharp corners. Securement of the desk top may be effected in various ways, as by screws entering the portion 51 from the inside, spot welding or otherwise.

A top 26, preferably of wood, is hinged to the forward upper margin of the base 21 by means of a panel 27 (Fig. 3) having piano hinges 30 and 31 on its opposed faces. Hinge 30 is, in turn, fastened to the forward inner face of the box 21, whereas hinge 31 is attached forwardly of the front edge of the desk top 26. Thus the top 26 may be moved to two positions: One, wherein the panel 27 is collapsed against the top 26 and the latter is sub stantially horizontal and serving to close the box 21; and two, wherein the rear edge of the desk top is abutted against a stop 22 (to be detailed) and the panel 27 serves to maintain the forward part of the desk top sufiiciently raised to provide a comfortable position thereof for reading. Meanwhile access of unauthorized individuals to the desk box is substantially inhibited by the interposition of the panel 27.

It is desirable to provide a stop 22 which may be utilized as a guard to retain pencils, books and paper when the top 26 is in the inclined position of Fig. 2, but which may be moved out of the way when the desk top is horizontal, as indicated by the broken lines of Fig. 5. Accordingly I provide (Fig. 5) a member 22 including a substantially cylindrical sleeve adapted to rotate about the transverse leg of the portion 51 of the support 20, and a tangential leaf formed as part of the sleeve for abutment by the rearward edge of the desk top 26. For permitting movement of the member 22 a clearance slot 55 is cut in the rear' wall of the desk base 21 just below the portion 51.

To regulate the two extreme positions of the member 22 a slot 24a is arranged to cooperate with a pin 24. Consequently, in the active, or full line position of the member 22, the desk top will occupy the position of Fig. 2, and in the broken line position, the member 22 is swung within the desk base and the desk top is untilted. Preferably the member 22 is formed of a single piece of metal which, during assembly, is brought around the transversely-extending portion of the part 51, and then joined as shown to provide a rigid, fool-proof stop.

If desired, a pencil tray 25 may be installed on the rear wall of the box 21.

The pedestal 43 for' receiving the chair 39 comprises a pair of horizontally extending parts telescopically received in the horizontal portions 45-45 of "the base 40, and secured in any selected fore-and-aft adjusted position by suitable means (not shown). The pedestal 43 also includes vertical portions to which a sleeve 8 is Welded, these latter portions then extending rearwardly and laterally to provide splayed legs 15 and 16 constituting a wide base for the chair in order to obviate tipping of the structure.

Turning now to Fig. 4, a seat 5 is shown secured to the upper flared termination 7 of a spindle 6 which is telescopically received in the sleeve 8. For accomplishing a predetermined adjustment of the seat one or more of a plurality of spacers 10, 11 and 13 are interposed between a ball thrust bearing 12 and a closure 14 threaded into the sleeve 8. A washer 29 may be used to deliver the thrust to the closure 14, and another washer 32 may be employed to accommodate any radial misalignment between adjacent spacers. The space within the spindle 6 may be utilized for storage of inactive spacers, it being observed that these latter are of different lengths so that they may be combined in various combinations to effect various height settings of the seat 5.

To be used in lieu of, or in combination with, the spacers 10, 11 and 13, I may provide a continuously threaded rod 9 carrying a pair of nuts which may be placed anywhere along the length of the rod for abutment by a washer 29 or 32 and one or more of the spacers for fine adjustment of the seat. The nuts 2? or 32 may be used in a mutually jamming manner to prevent unintended rotation thereof after once being locked for a selected position of the seat. In such cases the thrust on the rod will be received by the closure 14. Access to the adjustment means is possible through either the top or bottom of the sleeve 8. It will have become apparent that the seat may be swivelled 360 on the bearing 12 without incurring any alteration in the vertical setting thereof.

The back rest 4 is of common form and is carried on a support 1 secured to the underneath of the seat 5. Preferably, means 2 are provided for vertical adjustment thereof and which may also include loose joints 3 for permitting some degree of rocking motion whereby the back rest may be readily and comfortably accommodated to the curvature of the occupants back.

From the foregoing it will have become evident that the invention contemplates simple and efficient desk and chair structure which is conveniently adjustable to accommodate an adult or child. While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the same is not intended to be limited to the details of the construction shown and that I intend to include other forms thereof which may fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A unitary school desk and chair comprising a pair of medially-disposed, fore and aft, symmetrical members each including parallelly-positioned, contiguous base portions, transverse portions extending from the forward end of said base portions, vertical portions extending upwardly from the outer ends of said transverse portions, a U-shaped frame carried at the upper ends of said vertical portions; a desk secured within said U-shaped frame; a pair of inverted, substantially U-shaped portions joined by one leg thereof commonly to the rear extremity of said base portions, the plane of each U being substantially vertical; a socket carried by said commonly joined U-shaped portions; a spindle rotatably received in said socket, and a seat supported on said spindle.

2. An article in accordance with claim 1 wherein said upwardly-extending vertical member portions incorporate means for adjusting the height of the desk.

3. An article in accordance with claim 1 wherein said member base portions incorporate means for adjusting the fore-and-aft relation of the seat and desk.

4. A unitary school desk and seat comprising a base part including a pair of medially-disposed, symmetrical members each having a fore-and-aft base portion, said base portions extending medially contiguously and means for maintaining them contiguous, a pair of second base portions each extending laterally from the forward extremity of each said first base portion and a portion extending vertically from the outer end of each laterally extending portion; a desk supporting member including a substantially U-shaped frame disposed with the ends of the le s directed forwardly and a pair of vertical legs forming continuations of the ends of the U, said legs and vertically extending portions being telescopically united and having mutually engageable adjustment means, a desk secured within said U-shaped frame; a seat pedestal including a pair of vertically extending contiguous parts and outwardly and rearwardly directed feet splayed therefrom, parallel fore-and-aft base portions extending from the vertical pedestal parts and telescopically united with said first base portions respectively, a vertically-positioned sleeve secured to said vertically-extending pedestal parts, and a seat having a spindle rotatably received in said sleeve.

5. A unitary school desk and seat comprising a frame including a substantially horizontally-disposed U-shaped desk-supporting element positioned with its legs terminating forwardly, vertical elements forming continuations of said legs extending from the ends thereof to the floor, a pair of transverse elements respectively forming continuations of said vertical elements arranged to rest on the floor and extending inwardly, a pair of fore-andaft base elements respectively forming rearwardly extending continuations of said transverse elements and disposed mutually contiguously, means for retaining said base elements contiguous, a set of seat supporting elements each having an inverted U-shaped configuration, one set of respective legs of said elements being contiguous, and the other legs being spaced apart laterally, one end of each of said contiguous legs respectively forming a continuation of each of said fore-and-aft elements, a desk supported on said U-shaped element, and a seat supported by said seat-supporting elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,627 Thum Aug. 22, 1916 1,454,565 Sanford May 8, 1923 2,168,910 Merrill Aug. 8, 1939 2,579,606 Oom et al. Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 76,662 Norway Apr. 11, 1950 814,651 France June 28, 1937 her 

